Ossau Iraty is a sheep milk cheese style from the Basque region. It is has a nutty taste and finishes with a butterscotch flavor. Emmental is a cow milk cheese full of grass flavor with robust butterfat content. The mixing of the two gives a balance of flavors that is enhanced by the heat and the wheat flavor of the pasta.

Ingredients	Amount
Elbow Macaroni	1 lb.
Bacon, diced fine	1 cup
Onion, small dice	2 cups
Garlic, minced	1 T.
Whole Milk	4 cups
Fresh Thyme	2 sprigs
Bay Leaf	2 each
Garlic cloves, smashed	2 each
White roux, see note below	3 oz.
Salt and white pepper	to taste
Ossau-Iraty, shredded	12 oz.
Emmental, grated	8 oz.
Italian parsley, minced fine	3 T.
Cayenne, Kosher salt, black pepper	to taste
Herbed Bread Crumbs
Butter	½ cup
Toasted bread crumbs	1 cup
Rosemary, thyme, oregano, minced	2 T.
Mimolette, grated fine	3 T.

Method

1. Cook elbow macaroni fully in boiling salted water. Drain well.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders out and the bacon is slightly crisp. Remove and discard 2 T. of bacon fat. Add the onions and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the onions are soft and start to color. Add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. For the béchamel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk, remove from heat and add thyme, bay leaf, and smashed garlic; cover and steep 15-20 minutes.

4. Remove the thyme, bay and garlic, slowly whisk in the roux and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes; season and strain.

5. Take off heat and stir in cheeses until completely melted. Adjust the consistency with more milk if necessary. It should be a the consistency of pancake batter.

6. Adjust seasoning and taste with cayenne pepper, kosher salt and black pepper.

7. For the breadcrumbs, mix the toasted crumbs with the minced herbs and grated Mimolette and season with salt and pepper. Rub a large casserole dish with 2 T. butter and lightly coat with bread crumbs

8. Fold the bacon mixture, sauce and macaroni together. Pour it into prepared casserole pan and top with the remaining bread crumb mixture; dot with the remaining butter.

9. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 35 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Note: Roux (pronounced "roo") is a thickening agent for soups and sauces. Made by cooking equal part of flour and oil until the raw flavor of the flour cooks out and the roux has achieved the desired color, a properly cooked roux imparts silky-smooth body and a nutty flavor while thickening soups and sauces.

Yield: 10 portions